


AU - A Daring Escape

by Aria6



Series: A Coyote's Stories [29]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Clones, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-14
Updated: 2015-02-27
Packaged: 2018-03-12 19:43:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3353036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aria6/pseuds/Aria6
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Author's Note: The first chapter for this is number 49. Go back and look at it, it didn't get any reviews which is why I didn't continue for a while… I hope you like this though! Porn ahoy!</p></blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Starrk slouched through the flying fortress, his hands in his pockets.

His personal situation sucked. Right now, he was trying to take his mind off it by wandering aimlessly. It wasn't really working. Everything he saw reminded him of the likelihood of his demise…

Trying not to think about it, he wandered into the section of the fortress reserved for prisoners. Most of the cells and other containment units were empty at the moment. Starrk walked past them, unseeing. Then he entered one particular room and stopped, staring.

"…Well, this is rather impressive." The prisoner in question was a handsome man with long hair and a scraggly beard. He was suspended over a giant hole in the floor, held in anti-gravity restraints. Starrk peered down into the hole and saw sharpened spikes, infused with a pattern of electricity. "Huh." Someone really didn't want this prisoner escaping. Right now, his head was down as he dozed. The stranger lifted his head, though, as Starrk's presence woke him. Their eyes met for a moment and Starrk noted that his were a shade of grey that nearly matched his own. Then those eyes widened.

"Coyote Starrk!?" The man sounded utterly disbelieving and Starrk grimaced. People made that mistake all the time and he hated it.

"Just Starrk. I am not entitled to his other name." He said it extremely sourly. The man looked confused and he sighed before elaborating. "I'm a clone. Number eight, to be precise. Unless I'm deemed a success I don't get to be called Coyote." Or live. The other seven weren't around. And Szayel had been making a few noises about his power levels that Starrk didn't like.

"…Oh. That sounds difficult for you." The man said with sympathy. Starrk considered it highly suspect. "Ah, could you possibly help me down?" He asked brightly and Starrk regarded him with a jaundiced eye.

"You must think I'm an idiot." He said flatly and the man looked taken aback. "For all I know, you're the mad eyeball eater of Quirm."

"Was there such a person?" The prisoner asked wonderingly and Starrk sighed, reaching up to rub his forehead.

"Yes. He was executed three months ago." He glanced down at the spikes again. "He was held almost the exact same way you are now. I think I'll be going." His work here was done. The man in the restraints quickly called to him.

"No please wait! I'm Kyoraku Shunsui. Have you heard of me?" Starrk stopped because that WAS a name he'd heard. Often with many swear words attached.

"Kyoraku Shunsui?" He turned back, regarding the man thoughtfully. Not all of his deeds were well known and one of the secret ones was something he was intimately involved with. "You've done many things… tell me. How would you say that you injured Aizen the most?" The traitor had lost many things to this man. But there was one wound that never seemed to close. If he was truly Kyoraku, the man would know the answer. The man in the restraints gave him a crooked smile.

"I killed the assassin Aizen sent after me… his lover, Coyote Starrk." He said softly and Starrk felt the breath in his chest freeze for a moment. Then he swallowed heavily.

"I see." He didn't have Starrk's memories. He couldn't… the man's body had been buried by Aizen's enemies, given some courtesy in death. But he knew what had happened to the man Aizen was trying so hard to replace. "If I get you down and help you escape, will you help me?" He asked, suddenly intense. Shunsui looked at him with a thoughtful expression.

"You're that certain you will fail?" He asked and Starrk's mouth set in a hard line.

"Yes. Szayel says I'm powerful enough but my power is twisted." He said shortly. "And I got into the records. Two of the others were correct in terms of power and aptitude but they didn't 'break right'. I don't know what that means but it doesn't sound good." He suspected it had to do with whatever Aizen had done to the original Coyote Starrk. What had he done to that man? What brainwashing, what torture and conditioning? "I'm not interested in being the eighth entry into the record books. But just so you know, I'm worthless as a hostage. They would just shoot me then kill you." He was sure using him as a hostage had occurred to the man in front of him. Shunsui smiled at him charmingly.

"It's like you know me already! But I'll make a deal. Get me down and we can help each other." Shunsui said and Starrk nodded. He didn't trust the man, not yet, but he did have faith in self-interest. Starrk knew the fortress and Shunsui didn't. It would be insane for him to eliminate the clone until he'd gotten full use out of him. Starrk would be watching him for treachery after that, but for now he was safe.

"Fine." Starrk immediately set to work. It didn't take long to disable to anti-gravity restraints, but making sure Shunsui didn't die on the spikes was a bit tricky. Starrk managed it by launching himself over to pit just as Kyoraku started to fall and snatching him out of the air, landing neatly on the other side of the pit. The man in his arms gasped before pulling away.

"That was a trick worthy of myself, Starrk-san!" He said lightly and Starrk just shrugged, releasing him.

"My failure is my power, not my skills." He was a complete success in that area. All of Coyote Starrk's physical skills had been perfectly replicated in his eighth clone. "Shall we?" They needed to hurry. There were undoubtedly cameras and there was nothing Starrk could do about that. Shunsui nodded, sobering.

"Yes, we need to hurry." The man said, echoing his thoughts. Starrk pulled out one of his guns. They were faithful replicas of the originals, given to each clone in turn. He passed the black and silver thing to Shunsui, who took it without comment. Then he pulled the other and concentrated on their escape.

It wasn't easy. The escape in progress was soon detected and they had to shoot through plenty of resistance. But they moved very, very quickly, with perfect coordination. Starrk knew the fortress so well, much better than any invader could. He took Shunsui directly to the hanger where they kept all the vehicles and went straight for the one he knew best. A speedy, stealthy little thing, it could outrun nearly anything. That was what they needed. If it came down to firepower they would be destroyed. When they got onto it, though, the hanger doors wouldn't open.

"Tell me you know what to do?" Shunsui asked, his voice controlled. Starrk nodded, typing away at the terminal.

"Yes, I stole Gin's codes a while ago." He said absently as he entered them. "You're very lucky, you know. I was going to try to escape soon." His chances would not have been good, ultimately. Strangely, they were much better now that he had Shunsui. The other man gave him a place to go, people who might take him in. "Ah, there we are." His stolen codes had been taken and the doors were opening. As soon as they were fully opened they shot out like a greased rocket.

There were many attempts to stop them, of course. If it had just been Starrk, they would probably have succeeded. Piloting was not his greatest skill. However, Shunsui proved to be an absolute master at it and Starrk just sat back in his shock harness and monitored the system stats as Kyoraku did the piloting. The ship shook as they took a hit but the powerful shield generators managed to disperse it.

And then they were free. Starrk smiled as he saw they had exited Aizen's airspace and were on their way to friendly territory. Well, friendly for Kyoraku Shunsui. He served Yamamoto. Which reminded him…

"So I'm hoping you might have some use for a defective clone in the Gotei 13?" He said absently, looking out the window and seeing the clouds beneath the ship. However, that was just a pretense. All his attention was on Shunsui. The man glanced over at him with a smile.

"Oh, I'm sure we can think of something. You will have to submit to plenty of scans and likely a tracker." He said and Starrk considered it for a moment before nodding. The scans were only practical. No doubt he already had plenty of trackers and other gunk that needed to be removed. Although…

"I hope you're not planning to do any in depth neural reads. My power will defeat them." He said and smiled crookedly as Shunsui shot him a surprised look. "That's why I was considered defective. Szayel was trying to find a way around it." His mind was as impenetrable as a brick wall. Aizen just couldn't have that. The first Starrk had been putty in his hands and the eighth clone was anything but.

"Neural…? But that's excruciatingly painful!" Shunsui protested and Starrk sighed. He was well aware of that. It didn't work but it still caused him immense pain. "What did he DO to that man?" He said to himself and Starrk shrugged.

"Everything you can imagine and plenty you can't. But it doesn't matter, he's dead." He said it calmly. Really, the first Coyote Starrk meant nothing to him. He was a piece of history and an unwanted burden, nothing more. "I intend to be my own man, not Aizen's or anyone else's. Something for all of you to keep in mind." If they tried to mold and manipulate him, they would pay for it in the end. He would make certain of it. Shunsui gave him a quick, assessing look before turning his attention back to the controls.

"If you're willing to join us against Aizen I don't imagine that will be a problem. We're all rather individual, in the Gotei 13." He said and Starrk did believe that. It suited what he knew of that organization. They had lunatics like Zaraki working for them, after all. Settling back into his restraints, Starrk closed his eyes and let himself doze.

Hopefully, this would be the start of something good.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: The first chapter for this is number 49. Go back and look at it, it didn't get any reviews which is why I didn't continue for a while… I hope you like this though! Porn ahoy!

"Would you like a drink?" Starrk watched the broad back of the man he'd rescued. He was at the nearby wet bar, looking through the alcohol available.

"Do you have any beer? The darker the better." He said, leaning back into the sofa. It was a very comfortable and stylish sofa, made of some thick and plush fabric. Not leather, but Starrk hated leather sofas. They were too slick and they stuck in hot weather. No, fabric was far more suitable.

"Certainly. Would you like a Beirgarn lager?" He asked and Starrk consented. He did lift his eyebrows a little as he received the glass.

"A special glass for dark beer? Fancy." Starrk lifted the glass, examining the beer with a small smile. Shunsui laughed, taking a sip of his own drink. It seemed to be something far more alcoholic, poured over ice cubes.

"I do like a good brew on occasion." He admitted and Starrk smiled before trying the beer. He thought it was excellent, although he was no connoisseur. The other man settled in across from him, looking at him thoughtfully. "Tell me. How well are you fitting in here?"

"…Well enough." Starrk said after a very slight hesitation. No one trusted him, but he didn't expect that, not yet. Unfortunately Shunsui pounced on that momentary pause.

"You seem a touch reserved. Have you been making any friends?" He asked and Starrk couldn't help but smile. Friends?

"You sound like a high school teacher." He said humorously. Not that he'd ever met one, but he imagined that was what they sounded like. He brought the glass to his lips, swallowing the dark beer, heavy with hops. "This would be good with something salty." He mused and Shunsui smiled at him, a gentle curve of his lips.

"Is that a hint that you want something to eat?" He asked and Starrk chuckled softly.

"Perhaps." He said. "If you care to feed me." If not, he would survive. Shunsui smiled again before going to the door and tapping some kind of code into the wall. An ordering system? Starrk regarded him curiously. It wasn't at all the same as what he'd been used to in Aizen's fortress.

"If you don't mind waiting a bit, I've ordered some bar snacks. Stuffed potato skins, chicken wings and a vegetable platter with dip." He said cheerfully and Starrk had to swallow back a bit of drool. That all sounded excellent, even the green parts.

"Lovely. I can wait." He said sincerely as Shunsui settled back down across from him.

"So have you made any friends?" The other man returned to his earlier question and Starrk sighed to himself as he leaned back. That was a difficult question for him.

"How do you define friends? I'm on pleasant terms with plenty of people here." He said before shrugging slightly. "No one trusts me or wants to get too close to me. And who can blame them?" That scientist of theirs, Mayuri, had cheerfully gone on about all the parasites, neural gunk and various information feeds he'd found in the clone. It was enough to put anyone off. "I try not to take it personally." He said before taking a deep drink of his beer. Shunsui regarded him, his expression somber.

"I had hoped you would be doing better than that." He said after a moment before taking a sip of his drink. "Well, I would be glad to be your friend." He said then and Starrk regarded him with a jaundiced air.

"To use me." He said and Shunsui took on a wounded expression. "Don't bother to deny it."

"I won't then. But you know, friends do use each other. Just in a mutual fashion." He said and Starrk blinked at the thought. But then, he knew very little about friendships. He'd been even less likely to have any beneath Aizen's thumb. "And what I would mainly like from you right now is information." That immediately set Starrk on guard.

"If you want that, you'll need more alcohol." He said, pointing his chin at the wet bar. "Preferably the entire bottle." Shunsui frowned at him and he elaborated. "You want to know about Coyote Starrk, don't you." What else could Shunsui want from him? He'd already been thoroughly debriefed on what he knew about Aizen's operations, which wasn't much. Shunsui's eyes widened.

"I… how did you know?" He asked, stunned. Starrk sighed, finishing his beer and looking longingly at the empty glass. His host took the hint and refilled it.

"Just a feeling I have. The way you look at me, the way you came to visit me in the infirmary. He intrigued you, didn't he?" Starrk said before sipping his beer again. "He was different from the others." Starrk knew it couldn't have to do with him. There was nothing special about an immature clone. No, it was the original that commanded Shunsui's attention. He swallowed back the bitterness on his tongue, cleansing it with more of the beer. It really was a fine brew.

"Yes. His eyes when he attacked me… he looked so tormented. And when he died, I swear he was relieved yet… anguished. It was such an intense moment in time." Shunsui said after a moment and then took his advice, going to get himself another drink. "Please, can you tell me why?" He asked as he came back and Starrk sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"You won't like it." He warned but Shunsui's expression silently demanded that he continue. "Hm, very well… Coyote Starrk was born in the slums of Los Noches, to a drug addicted whore." He said calmly. He knew all the history behind his creation. "She didn't give him a name. He was just the boy. She was a dealer, not just a user and soon she began using him as a drug runner. Before long, she sold him to the cartel for more drugs. They were the ones who gave him his name." Starrk looked up as there was a soft ding at the door. Shunsui went to get the food and there was a soft murmur of conversation before he returned, tray in hand. "Thank you…" Starrk tried a potato skin and found it was delicious, full of cheese and bacon. "Mmm… anyway. The cartel trained him as an assassin and somewhere in there, he had a daughter." That made Shunsui stare in surprise. "Her mother was another whore. That was the only kind of affection he knew. She meant nothing to him but his daughter… she quickly became the one thing he would love in his life, and he loved her with all his heart."

"But he was too good at his job." Starrk tried the chicken wings and found they were excellent, blue cheese flavored. "These are wonderful. Did you want some?" He asked, thinking that Shunsui could probably use a food buffer for the alcohol. The story was going to get worse. But he shook his head, taking a drink of the hard liquor. "He came to Barragan's notice and he threatened Starrk's daughter in an effort to make him cooperate. That was a mistake… a very dark power struggle occurred and Starrk nearly killed him. However, that proved to be a fatal error for Coyote Starrk. Because it brought him to Aizen's attention." Starrk took a deep drink of his beer before eating another potato skin. Then he considered the vegetable tray. He was no fan of green stuff, but he supposed he should eat it anyway. Picking up a piece of green pepper, he dipped it in the creamy avocado dip. "Not bad… anyway, Aizen brought Starrk into the fold, ranking him above Barragan. At first, he probably thought it was a good deal. If so he soon realized his mistake… he fascinated Aizen." Starrk said frankly, remembering some of the things they'd put him through. "And that's a bad, bad place to be. Aizen took him as a lover, and more… he began working to break him, alter him in ways that pleased him." Shunsui swallowed, looking sick. "My predecessor couldn't resist. His daughter…" Starrk trailed off before shrugging and Shunsui nodded, unsurprised.

"I don't know exactly what was done to him. But I know that Aizen set out to break him, and he did." Starrk said softly, remembering that notation on the files of the clones. 'Didn't break right'… what in hell did that mean? He was glad he wouldn't find out. "He was perfect. Aizen's favorite toy. But just a toy, still replaceable… until he wasn't." Starrk said lightly. This part actually amused him. "After Starrk was gone, Aizen realized that none of his other toys could compare to the one he'd lost. You know the rest."

"Mmm. But I think you left something out. What happened to his daughter?" Shunsui asked and Starrk sighed.

"I'd hoped you wouldn't ask that." That was what Shunsui might need the liquor for. "She was given to his men. She didn't live long." He said and saw the horror on the other man's face. Starrk just shrugged, feeling indifferent. "Aizen's promises to the living are hardly trustworthy. To the dead, they're completely worthless."

"Oh kami." Shunsui whispered before taking tossing back his drink. Starrk frowned as he watched the look on his face. The man looked devastated by the information. "I know… I've killed many people in my career. I often knew they left people behind but – OW!" Starrk had just sharply shoved his foot into the man's knee.

"I know what you're thinking. You're thinking about that innocent little girl and what she suffered. But it is not your fault." He said very firmly, leaning forward to emphasis his intensity. "Aizen is the one who killed her. You could have only kept her alive by dying yourself. Do you have children? Anyone who loves you and relies on you?" He asked, sure there was someone who would fit that description. The pain eased on Shunsui's face as their eyes met and he nodded.

"No children, but you're right. I do have many people depending on me…" Shunsui poured himself another drink before pausing to examine Starrk for a moment. "Are you much like your predecessor? I didn't know him, not really. But you seem different." He said and Starrk grimaced.

"I'm within acceptable limits. However, Szayel did note that I produce more testosterone." He said sarcastically and Shunsui stared at him in disbelief. "He thought that's why I scored higher on aggressiveness. He couldn't explain my 'twisted' power, but he also thought that might be connected to my 'unstable' mental traits."

"Unstable?" Shunsui said in a questioning tone and Starrk smiled grimly.

"That was how they put it. I would disagree. I'm just very stubborn and resistant, beyond any of the other clones and, of course, the original." Starrk said before snorting. "But then, the original had a leash tight around his throat. So am I really so different from him?" There was no way to tell. The real Coyote Starrk had been collared by his love. His clone had nothing to anchor him, no reason not to resist with all his heart and soul.

"We'll never know." Shunsui said, echoing his thoughts. Starrk nodded, taking a deep drink of his beer before eating some carrot sticks and another potato skin. "Well, now my curiosity about your predecessor has been satisfied, I admit to being curious about you." Starrk lifted an eyebrow in a skeptical manner. Shunsui noticed that and smiled charmingly. "Is that so hard to believe?"

"Yes. I'm just a clone. Nearly worthless, at best." He said sourly. He'd been told that plenty of times. Shunsui frowned on him before suddenly shoving his foot into Starrk's knee. The clone yelped, mostly in surprise at having his own tactic turned on him.

"You are not 'just a clone'. You're an entirely new person and someone worth knowing." Shunsui said sternly as Starrk stared. "It might help you make friends, if you don't assume people are trying to use you."

"…Hn." Shunsui was probably right. He was behaving in a slightly prickly manner, he knew that. "It's… hard, sometimes." He said after a moment and Shunsui looked at him thoughtfully. "Knowing that everyone around me is looking at me but seeing him." He felt like he was always beneath Coyote Starrk's shadow.

"Tell me." Shunsui suggested and Starrk sighed before giving in. He began telling the other man about his life in Aizen's flying fortress. He didn't think it was very interesting but if Shunsui wanted to hear it… "It sounds like you were very alone."

"Of course I was." Starrk couldn't help the bitterness that invaded his voice. "Coyote Starrk was a lone wolf, until he had his daughter." His eyes became cold and hard as he remembered. "They tried to replicate that too, but I wasn't falling for their ploy." He'd recognized the attempt to befriend and seduce him for what it was. He'd almost killed the woman in question but fortunately, or not, she'd been one of Aizen's assassins and had escaped. "Aizen was quite unimpressed." He said lightly. If he'd had any doubts about what had been going on, Szayel's irritation with him would have dispelled them. Then a warm hand covered his and he blinked.

"No one wants to use you here." Shunsui said and Starrk might have pointed out that there were many ways to use a person. He could feel the energy in the air and knew where it was leading. Was he just a substitute, for the man Shunsui could never have? The thought left a bitter taste on his tongue. On the other hand, did he care? It would be nice to have sex because he wanted to do it, not because it was part of his training and conditioning…

The thought moved him and he pulled his hand away, but only so he could move around the table and settle on the edge of Shunsui's chair. The smile on the man's face… yes, this was what he wanted of the young clone. Starrk settled on the edge of the chair, giving him a challenging stare.

"Do you think you have what it takes to dominate me, Kyoraku Shunsui?" He was aggressive in the bedroom, too. Apparently, that was quite different from his predecessor, but Starrk had his doubts. What idiot would be aggressive with Aizen? The extreme power difference had probably intimidated the man, especially with his daughter's life on the line. His clone had much less to lose.

"Mmm, is that a challenge?" Shunsui matched his stare with equal heat and Starrk felt a stirring of desire. "I think I'll take it." Starrk found himself being pulled into the other man's lap and went with it, allowing him to take the lead. The kiss that followed was hot and intense, as they explored each other's mouths. When they parted they were both breathless from the intensity of it. Starrk licked his lips for a moment before giving the other man a warm smile.

"Why don't we take this to the bedroom – hey!" He hadn't been expecting Shunsui to rise so easily, slinging him over his shoulder. "How strong are you?" This was not normal. He was a full sized man, not a small child. Shunsui glanced over his shoulder at him, an amused smile on his face.

"Oh, I might be a bit enhanced." He admitted and Starrk glowered, mildly annoyed. Brute force had not been Coyote Starrk's strength, and it wasn't his either. Perhaps he would end up dominated tonight.

However, he was still going to make Shunsui work for it. When he was dropped onto the bed Starrk found himself lustfully attacked, and returned the attentions with interest. Buttons popped as he almost tore off Shunsui's shirt, revealing a chest covered in unruly hair. Starrk was fascinated but quickly distracted, as teeth dug into his shoulder. He grunted, running his nails down that strong back. This was… interesting…

Their pants were the next things to go and Starrk vaguely heard fabric ripping. It was unimportant, though, compared to the hardness that was suddenly pressed against his belly. Although, if he wanted to top the time to act was now. Moving with that thought, he suddenly surged against the other man, catching him by surprise. Shunsui ended up on his back for a moment, the clone straddling his waist. Starrk smiled into surprised grey eyes before kissing the man again, sucking on his lower lip before letting go with a lewd pop. Shunsui was looking up at him with lust hazed eyes.

"You know, maybe I'll let you top." He said and Starrk was honestly surprised – then he yelped as the man beneath him suddenly moved, trying to catch him. Things quickly turned into an obscene wrestling match and Starrk enjoyed every moment before he was pinned. "Or maybe I won't, too." Shunsui breathed in his ear and Starrk squirmed a moment before giving up. The other man had him at his mercy, trapped on his belly.

"You cheater." He groused and Shunsui laughed. "You tricked me." That little comment had gotten his guard down. Then teeth found the bend of his neck and Starrk gasped, arching a bit as a hard length rubbed against his buttocks.

"All's fair in love and war, hmm?" Shunsui teased and Starrk growled, but not as though he was really angry. No, he was enjoying this. "Now…" A hand left him to prepare his entrance and Starrk squirmed for a moment before submitting. He'd lost and fair was fair. Besides, he was dying to have sex. More sparring for dominance would put that off.

The feel of those thick fingers inside his body, spreading the warm cream made him gasp. It felt very nice and nicer with someone who truly cared about his pleasure. Then Shunsui found his prostate and Starrk jerked, groaning deep in his throat as he was stimulated. That felt… incredible…

"Ah kami. I can't wait. Do you mind…?" Shunsui asked, his voice breathless. Starrk shook his head.

"Go for it." A bit of pain would not bother him a bit. Then Shunsui was slowly sliding past that tight ring of muscle and Starrk gasped at the pleasant burn. He was well lubed, though, so that pain quickly began to ebb. Then Shunsui was taking him with quick, powerful movements. Starrk griped his shoulders, heedless of his nails biting into tanned skin, the thin lines of blood sliding down that strong back. That cock, stroking inside him so firmly, the hard body against his… that was what claimed all of his attention. "Shunsui!" He panted out the other man's name as a particularly deft thrust hit his prostate dead on. "Oh kami…" Shunsui was taking him to heaven.

"Starrk." The intense lust in that voice… Starrk met Shunsui's eyes for a moment, seeing the powerful desire there, the pleasure he was taking in their coupling. "Kami, you feel so good in there…" Shunsui groaned just before he ground against Starrk's buttocks, trying to get everything he could from the body beneath him. Starrk cried out, vaguely hearing his voice as he lost himself to the pleasure. That was so good…!

Shunsui caught his lips in another heated kiss and Starrk felt his mouth being explored, that hot tongue mapping every inch of him. He returned the favor, fighting with Shunsui and exploring his mouth right back, even as his body was taken. Could this whole experience get any better?

Then he found that it could, as Shunsui's hand encircled his cock and began stroking him in time with each thrust. Starrk's eyes went wide as he arched, panting as he struggled not to cum. He didn't want this to end too soon but that was just so _good_ …

Starrk held back until Shunsui bit him again. The mild pain of teeth against skin, combined with that hard length inside him and the hand on his cock, was suddenly too much. He came with a scream, his cum covering Shunsui's hand as his whole body tensed. He heard Shunsui's delighted gasp, felt that hard body stiffen against him before he suddenly erupted. The heat inside him, the feel of that cum coating his insides… Starrk enjoyed it, deeply.

"Kami, Starrk. You are so…" Starrk felt the warm breath against his neck as Shunsui spoke against his skin. Running a hand through sweaty hair, he accepted that for what it was worth. He doubted Shunsui really wanted him for himself. No doubt this would only be a casual thing. Yet, he'd enjoyed it and didn't regret it.

"Shunsui." He murmured, kissing that sweaty brow. Shunsui lifted his head and their eyes met for a moment before the other man pulled away, leaving his body. Starrk groaned at the feel of that heavy cock exiting him. It was an oddly erotic feeling… setting that aside, he settled down to sleep. Although… "Do you want me to stay?" He asked and saw a flicker of surprise on the other man's face.

"Of course." A hand caressed his face and Starrk nuzzled the skin sleepily. "It would be rather unmannerly for me to ask you to leave, after something that wonderful." Shunsui said before kissing him again. Starrk sighed, returning the slow, gentle affection.

"Mmm hmm." Not that it had stopped anyone else. Who cared about being unmannerly to a mere clone, fated to be disposed with, just like all the others? Starrk shook that thought away, just letting himself savor the warmth and masculine musk of the body beside him. This was good, falling asleep with someone else beside him. He'd never done that before…

He dropped off, feeling warmer and more comfortable than he ever had in his life.

* * *

_Starrk._ The clone whimpered in his sleep, a hand tightening on the blankets. The man beside him did not stir. _Wake up._ That voice… grey eyes opened, sleepy yet touched with dread. _Get up._

"…" Starrk was really waking up now, as his body slid out of the bed. And he knew something very bad was happening. "Aizen…" His voice was the merest whisper. He couldn't raise it any higher, couldn't warn Shunsui. His body unwillingly moved towards the dresser. Shunsui would keep his tools there. "No… stop…" He vaguely heard laughter in the back of his mind as his hands opened the drawers. Yes, the throwing knives were here. His hand closed over one and Starrk felt a dull horror as he watched himself draw out the weapon. What parasite had that man with the painted face missed? He'd definitely missed something…

_You may have been a failure, but now you'll serve me better than the original._ Aizen's voice purred in his mind as Starrk stepped back to the bed. Shunsui looked so peaceful there, entirely relaxed in the safety of his rooms. Coyote Starrk's assassination attempt hadn't happened in the heart of the Seireitei… _Kill him Starrk._

"No." He forced the word out but he was moving closer, with a practiced, familiar motion. And the horror and dread in his mind abruptly flashed over into rage. _"NO!"_ His shout would have woken Shunsui, but what really made his eyes shoot open was the burst of twisted power. The one thing Szayel had never managed to control, it beat through the air like a living thing, warping any other powers that touched it. In some ways, it was a great power – he could destroy other effects around him – but it was nothing Coyote Starrk had possessed. And just for a moment, it freed him from Aizen's control. But only for a moment and Shunsui was completely unarmed. So Starrk did the only thing that he could do.

He vaguely heard Aizen's cry of rage as he plunged the knife into his own belly. It wasn't an immediately fatal wound but it was disabling… Falling to his knees he gasped in pain as blood exploded from the wound. Had he hit something more vital than he'd intended? Probably, that had hardly been surgical… He vaguely saw Shunsui coming out of the bed as he collapsed, felt the other man bending over him. Even as his eyesight became foggy he saw a concerned face bending over him…

_I just saved your life, taichou-san. It's your turn to save mine…_ If he could. Perhaps he couldn't. Starrk knew he was losing a great deal of blood… he was losing consciousness as the door to the room opened and someone rushed in. Then hands were pressing against him and Starrk closed his eyes. He could vaguely hear Shunsui saying something but it was so distant…

Not really caring any longer, he gave up any grip on reality.

* * *

When he next woke up, the young clone rather wished he hadn't.

He was in a great amount of pain. Not just from the wound on his belly, either. There was a horrible pain running down his spine and his mouth was insanely dry… opening his mouth to beg for water, all he could manage was a croak.

"Starrk?" Shunsui. He felt a great relief as he heard his voice. "Are you thirsty?" He managed a nod before whimpering softly as shooting pain went down his neck and up into his head. What had happened there? "Here." A straw was put against his lips and Starrk eagerly sucked down the water. It was cold and crisp and tasted like ambrosia. "How are you feeling?"

"Awful." He said after he came up for air. "My neck… what…?" That was excruciatingly painful. Blinking, he managed to see Shunsui clearly. The man looked very tired, with dark bags under his eyes and his beard seemed a bit untrimmed.

"There was a neural parasite fused with your spine and part of your brain." Shunsui explained and Starrk was not at all surprised. "Mayuri says it was ingeniously well concealed. He's writing a report on the technique." Shunsui's tone was dryly amused at the scientist. "Something we'll look out for in the future." A hand gently ran through his hair. "You must have an iron will, to break free even for a moment."

"It's… my twisted power…" Starrk was sure that was what had saved them both. "It disrupts other powers…" And the parasite had been powered by something, if only a connection to his nervous system. That burst of power would have disrupted it. Shunsui's hand caught his, giving him a gentle squeeze.

"Just get better, Starrk." His voice was shockingly tender and Starrk wondered. Could this man care for him for himself, not just an echo of a dead man?

"Shunsui, do you want me for myself?" Ah, he hadn't meant to ask that. It had just come out. But since he had… "Or do you just want him?" Did he really sound so fragile, so vulnerable? That wasn't like him… then a hand was gently cupping his cheek and Starrk blinked as he was carefully, tenderly kissed.

"Of course I want you for yourself." Shunsui said into his ear and Starrk shivered at the brush of warmth. "You know, perhaps you should think of a new name for yourself. Or keep Starrk, but give yourself a second name."

"Mmm." That wasn't a bad idea. He'd used Starrk for so long, he answered to it, but he'd never been given the use of the Coyote name. So perhaps he should create something new, something all his own. "I'll think about it…" He yawned, feeling very tired. All his wounds were pulling on him, urging him to rest. There was a chuckle above him and he sensed Shunsui moving back, even as his eyes closed.

"Go to sleep Starrk. You'll feel better after some rest." That sounded like a very good idea to him. It would be easiest to sleep through the worst of the healing… Starrk allowed himself to drop off, feeling better than he had in his life.

His wounds would heal and finally, he would truly be free.


End file.
